Trans fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids in which the hydrogen atoms of a double-bond, or unsaturation, are located on opposite sides of the molecule. The trans isomer of the fatty acid causes the carbon chain to assume a straight-chain configuration similar to that of a saturated fat. Trans fatty acids are primarily formed through the metal-catalyzed process of hydrogenation, however they have also been found to form naturally at low levels in cow's milk. By hydrogenating oils through industrial processing, hydrogen atoms are added to unsaturated sites on fatty acids, creating a larger population of saturated fats in the oil. In a partially hydrogenated oil, some of the unsaturated fatty acids remain. However, the processing causes some of the double-bonds of the unsaturated fatty acids to undergo isomerization to the trans configuration.
A number of research studies have provided evidence that the consumption of foods having saturated fats and trans fats adversely effects cholesterol levels and can lead to an increased potential for cardiovascular diseases. One method by which the trans fat levels can be reduced is to replace the use of solid saturated fats such as shortening or butter with edible oils that typically contain unsaturated fats. Suitable edible oils can include the vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower, canola and the like, the marine oils or other similar unsaturated oils. While these edible oils allow for the replacement of trans fats, the liquid nature of these edible oils can create inconvenience and difficulty in preparing baked products when compared to traditional solid fats. For example, the viscous nature of liquid, edible oils makes it difficult to spread and retain the position of oil during the rolling and sheeting of laminated dough products. In addition, edible oils are subject to oxidation, which reduces the shelf life of edible oils as compared to traditional solid fats.
As such, it would be advantageous to develop a trans fat replacement system for use in baking products that overcomes the viscosity and stability problems presently associated with the use of saturated, edible oils.